Chihuahua Conan is a pet dog raised by chief priest Joei Yoshikuni at the Japanese Zen temple Shuri-Kannondo in Okinawa islands. Conan has now become a celebrity in Japan because this unique canine can 'pray' before the altar by mimicing its master!
The path to inner peace is long and arduous. But sitting on his hind legs, paws raised in reverence before the altar, this enlightened canine may just have discovered the key.
Against a backdrop of swirling incense and solemn chanting, the one-and-a-half-year-old, black-and-white Chihuahua cuts a cheerfully unlikely figure, as he loyally mimics his proud master during morning prayers at the Shuri Kannondo temple in southern Japan.
The devoted animal, known as Conan, hasn't just secured inner harmony for himself, either. His presence at daily prayers has also made headlines across Japan, helping to swell visitor numbers to the Zen Buddhist temple by more than 30 per cent – thereby putting worshippers on their own path to enlightenment.
Conan, originally a temple pet, rises without prompting before his morning and evening meals to go through his prayer routine at the temple in Naha, capital of Okinawa. When his master chants his prayers, known as "sutras", Conan raises his paws and joins them at the tip of his nose.
"It's so funny that he does it," says Kazuko Oshiro, 71, who has frequented the temple for more than 25 years. "He gets angry when somebody else sits on his favourite spot. He must be thinking that it's his special place."
When asked the secret of the dog's devotion, Yoshikuni reveals: "Clasping hands is a basic action of Buddhist prayer to show appreciation. He may be showing his thanks for treats and walks."
Source: Chinadaily & Independent
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